1. Field of the Invention
The present patent application for industrial invention relates to an aseismic connection device used to connect a panel to a beam.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a building structure that comprises pillars (M) fixed to the ground, a beam (T) disposed above the pillars (M) and panels (P) fixed to the ground and to the beam (T). The pillars (M) and the beam (T) form a supporting structure and the panels (P) form lateral walls supported by the supporting structure.
Various systems are known to fix the panels (P) to the beam (T). However, the known types of fixing systems generally do not guarantee an aseismic performance.
In fact, being fixed to the ground, the pillars (M) tend to oscillate during an earthquake. The most dangerous oscillations are the oscillations of the pillars (M) in the direction of the arrows (F) illustrated in the figure, which are basically parallel to the longitudinal axis (X) of the beam (T). In such a case, the beam (T) tends to alternately move in the direction of its longitudinal axis (X). Consequently, being fixed to the ground and to the beam (T), the panels (P) are subject to a high shear force and tend to crack, if not break.
JP2004-036337 discloses a bridge falling preventing device. The function of such a device is not to connect two elements. In fact, the device is disposed between two elements that are already connected, i.e. the bridge and a bridge support. Therefore, the device does not provide for any tensioning element to bring the two elements closer. Such a device is known as seismic stop. In fact, the function of the device is to block the bridge in position, in case of earthquake or structural failure, and therefore it prevents the relative sliding of the bridge with respect to the supporting pillar in orthogonal direction to the axis of the device.
JP2002-097607 discloses a shock absorbing chain disposed between two beams of a highway road in order to prevent the beam from falling in case of earthquake or structural failure. Also in this case, the chain acts as seismic stop, like the device of JP2004-036337.
WO2004/007991 discloses a fallout prevention device used to avoid the fall of the structures of a bridge, in the form of a seismic stop that reduces the relative motion between two structures in case of earthquake and consequently avoids an excessive deformation of the bridge.
The devices disclosed in JP2004-036337, JP2002-097607 and WO2004/007991 are seismic stops, are applied between two structures that are already installed firmly, and are used to reduce the relative displacement between the two structures to a preset maximum displacement value in the direction of the device axis. The aforementioned devices are not used to fix the two structures together and do not guide the relative displacement of the two structures in orthogonal direction to the axis of the device.
The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art by devising a connection device used to connect a panel to a beam, which is able to prevent the panels from breaking in case of earthquake.
Another purpose of the present invention it so disclose a connection device that is able to connect a panel to a beam in an efficient, reliable, safe, simple and rapid way.